Every day brings a fresh pair of prompts—a “Thought of the Day and Question of the Day”—designed to spark reflection, sometimes make me laugh, and (hopefully) get you thinking, too. Today’s duo has me asking big questions about when to trust my gut and how much I can push myself, even if it’s just to see how long I can keep from breathing.
Let’s unpack both, get a little uncomfortable, and maybe discover something new about what drives us.
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Thought of the Day: Just because it’s _your_ instinct doesn’t mean it’s the _best_ instinct.
Let’s get uncomfortable for a second.
We tend to treat our instincts like they’re gospel. There’s a weird comfort in believing your gut is always tuned to the truth, a sort of internal GPS with infallible directions. “Trust yourself!” we’re told. But what if our instincts aren’t wise sages? What if they’re just the sum of every shortcut, bias, and old fear we’ve collected over a lifetime?
Think about it: Instincts are built from what we’ve survived, not necessarily from what we should do next. They’re stitched together from old victories, yes, but also from scars, half-remembered advice, and situations where we didn’t have all the facts. Sometimes my instinct is brilliant—like not eating sushi that’s been in the fridge for three days. But sometimes it’s just outdated software running on faulty hardware. The result? I can end up avoiding something new simply because it’s unfamiliar, or running the same play over and over just because it “feels right,” even if it hasn’t worked out so well in the past.
What does this look like in real life?
– It’s the moment I snap at someone because my brain misreads a harmless comment as criticism—thanks, ancient instincts.
- It’s feeling that surge of adrenaline in a meeting and wanting to retreat instead of speak up, even though I know my ideas are good.
- It’s getting defensive with loved ones, because my reflex is to protect myself, even from people who care about me.
If you’re honest, how often do your “instincts” really serve your best self—and how often are they old survival mechanisms firing off in situations where you’re not even in danger?
When Instinct Is Sabotage
Sometimes, the scariest thing is not following your instinct. It’s sitting with the discomfort, questioning why you feel what you feel, and choosing a different response. That takes guts—way more than just doing what feels “natural.”
True growth often comes from doing the unnatural thing. The thing that makes you pause, question, and maybe even act in a way that feels risky.
– Saying “no” when your reflex is to say “yes.”
- Reaching out when you’d usually withdraw.
- Taking a step back to see if your gut is leading you to the same old dead end.
Instinct or Impulse?
There’s a difference between intuition (that deep-down, hard-earned knowing) and knee-jerk impulse. Most of us confuse the two. Impulse is fast, loud, and usually wants immediate gratification or safety. Intuition is quieter, built from experience and wisdom, and often leads us to better choices if we’re brave enough to listen.
But intuition takes time to develop. It comes from a pattern of conscious, sometimes uncomfortable reflection on what really works and what doesn’t. It’s like muscle memory—but for wisdom. If you always go with the first reaction, you may never develop true intuition. Instead, you’ll just get better at repeating your own mistakes.
The Courage to Override Yourself
Here’s the hard truth: Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is ignore your instinct, or at least interrogate it. Ask, “Where did this come from? Does it serve me now or is it just a relic of a past me?”
Your instinct is yours, yes. But that doesn’t make it wise, right, or even remotely useful in the moment you’re living in now.
And maybe—just maybe—the best instinct you can develop is learning when to distrust your instincts.
The older I get, the more I realize that wisdom isn’t about having the right instincts. It’s about learning to pause, question, and sometimes override them for the sake of something better.
If you want more on learning to second-guess yourself in the best way, check out my recent reflection on why feelings are just visitors and where I ask, “Is tragedy a collective unifier?”. Sometimes, challenging our gut is the bravest (and smartest) move we make.
Question of the Day: How long can you hold your breath?
For me, it’s one minute and fourteen seconds. (And yes, I timed myself for this post, and no, my kids were not impressed.)
I’m always amazed how something as automatic as breathing can become a test of willpower and focus. If you’ve ever tried to hold your breath for as long as possible, you know it’s a weird mix of stubbornness and discomfort—with a dash of self-discovery thrown in.
There’s a metaphor in here somewhere, about how long we “hold our breath” in life—waiting for the right moment, bracing for a big change, or simply testing our limits. If you’re curious about other little challenges that reveal more than you expect, you might enjoy “What’s something once you noticed, you can’t stop noticing?”
But back to the main question: How long can you hold your breath? Try it, time yourself, and let me know in the comments. I promise not to judge… unless you’re secretly a dolphin.
Let’s Talk Instincts (and Breath-Holding Records)
Your turn—when has your instinct led you astray, or helped you out of a jam? And how long can you hold your breath? Drop a comment below, or even better, join the daily email list for a new Thought of the Day and Question of the Day every morning. Who knows? You might just discover a new instinct worth trusting.
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